The highs and lows of Flèche Wallonne

Lauren competed in the 6th round of the Women’s World Tour yesterday in Huy, Belgium. La Flèche Wallonne is an iconic race for the men’s and women’s peloton and 2016’s event was another spectacular race of short steep hills and twisting roads around the Wallonne region of Belgium.

It was not this first time Lauren has lined up for the event, but it was the first time she has started the race with real aspirations to be a contender in the final sections of the race with a top 10 result being the goal of the day.

“I knew a top ten would be really tough to achieve but thats why I worked hard for this race for the last month or so, I have worked a lot of my climbing power recently and I was really happy to see this pay off yesterday”

Lauren just missed the selection of 7 riders over the second last climb but was still in contention for a top ten when her group of around 15 riders arrived at 1km to go and the base of the Muur de Huy, a 10% climb to the finish with a maximum of 24% gradients with about 500m to go.

“I was really happy with my race up until about 500m to go when I was essentially taken out by a crash from another rider, she of course didn’t mean to do it and it wasn’t that I was in a bad position, it was just really unlucky”

“I was very upset after the race, I felt like I was going to prove something today, that I can climb well and it was essentially taken away, but you know this is also part of bike racing and it is important to move on and not dwell on it”

“I know I have a really good level at the moment and it is important remember the positives from the race as well, I really enjoyed the race and it is one that I defiantly intend to come back to in the future with big aspirations to do well, along with Strade Bianche this is my favourite race.”

Lauren will line up again on Saturday for Omloop van Borsele to essentially close up her classics campaign for 2016. After this race she will have a few days to recover to begin to work towards her next season goal of the Tour of California in a few weeks time.